"10 January 2014 The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) together with Public Interest Lawyers Birmingham UK (PIL) today submitted a Communication to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague requesting action with respect to the abuse and mistreatment of Iraqi detainees by UK military forces. With 250 pages of factual and legal analysis, ECCHR and PIL conclude that the systemic abuse against detainees during the UK’s presence in Iraq meets the threshold of war crimes. Therefore, ECCHR and PIL urge the ICC to open formal investigations into the UK regarding those most responsible for these abuses, as the UK has failed to sufficiently investigate and prosecute its high ranking civilian and military officials."

"Over 400 Iraqi former detainees have brought allegations to PIL of grave mistreatment committed during the five years which the UK and Multinational Forces operated in Iraq, from 2003 to 2008."